Combination wheel chair and stretcher



Nov. 16, 1954 w. P. GLASER 2,694,437

COMBINATION WHEEL CHAIR AND STRETCHER Filed June 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR m3 T VZZZiamBGZas Nov. 16, 1954 w. P. GLASER COMBINATION WHEEL (HAIR AND STRETCHER 4 sheets sheet 3 Filed June 30, 1952 IN V ENTOR mQ\ mt loi WdZZia/mP Glaser ATTORNEY l m w Nov. 16, 1954 w. P. GLASER COMBINATION WHEEL CHAIR AND STRETCHER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 30, 1952 w'z'z'zmm Elase 7 ATTORNEY COMBINATION WHEEL CHAIRAND STRETCHER WilliamP. Glaser, Woonsocket, Rt];

Application June 30;,1952, SerialNo. 296,346

3. Claims (.Cl. 1. 55e-30) This invention relates to a novel combination, wheel chair and stretcher and more particularly to a device of this character especially adapted for handling heavy patients, and to and from which a patient may be readily moved from and to a bed.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a combination wheelchair and stretcher capable of being readily actuated to cause movement of the parts to assume either the position of a stretcher or wheelchair so that a patient may be applied thereto from'a bed and while the device isdisposed to form a stretcher and the device thereafter readily adjusted to provide a wheel chair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which after being utilized as a wheel chair may be readily converted to a stretcher so that aheavy patient may be removed therefrom onto a bed without the usual lifting of the patient which is ordinarily required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel wheel chair and stretcher having novel link and lever means for extending the device to form a stretcher and whereby the wheel base simultaneously extends to provide a longer wheel base and a more stable support for the device when disposed to form a stretcher.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device which is so constructed that the weight of the patient supported thereby is utilized to cause movement of the device from an extended condition forming a stretcher to a retracted position forming a wheel chair,

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the parts disposed to form a wheel chair;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus as arranged to form a wheel chair;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the unit extended to form a stretcher and taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 4;.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken'substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 44 of Fig- .3.

ure 3, illustrating the chassis, and on an enlarged scale relatively to Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line S..-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating one of the leg rest latching units;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 1';

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 1, and

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view through a portion of the chassis taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the combination wheel chair and stretcher in its entirety is designated generally 10 and as best illustrated in Figure 4 includes a chassis, designated generally 11, having corresponding tubular sides 12 extending longitudinally thereof and which are connected in parallel relationship by a rear cross brace 13 and an intermediate cross, brace 14. The ends of the rear cross brace 13 are secured to T-couplings 15 which are fixed to the tubular members 12 and the stems of which extend upwardly. The inter 2,694,437 Pa nted Nov- 16,1954

ice

2 mediate cross brace- 14- is connected at its ends to the members 12 by T-couplings 1-6 which are mounted on the members 12 and have inwardly extending stems in which the ends of the cross brace 14 arev secured. The cross braces 13 and 14 are connectedtogether by longitudinal braces 17. The forward ends of the braces 17 are secured to sleeves-18 which aremounted on the intermediate cross brace 14 and which are providedwith forwardly extending apertured ears 19.

An upright bearing- 20 is fixed to the rear end of each chassis member 12 and. said bearings provide journals for kingpins, not shown, of caster wheel forks 21 which are swivelly mounted therebeneath. A caster wheel 22 is journalled in each fork 21, said forksbeing curved and normally extending downwardly and rearwardly from the bearings 20. The caster Whels 22 provide the wheeled support for the rear end of the chassis 11.

A sleeve 23 is fixed to each frame member 12- near the forward end thereof and each sleeve member 23- is provided with an upstanding socket 24 and a depending apertured ear or hearing 25. A shaft 26 is journalled' ad'- jacent its ends in the aligned bearings 25. A relatively short shaft'actuating lever 27' is fixed to and extends upwardly from the intermediate portion of the shaft 26 and is pivotally connected at 28 at its outer, free end to the outer end of a piston rod 29 of a hydraulic jack, designated generally 30, which includes a cylinder 31 through the outer or forward end' of which the piston rod 29 slidably extends. The inner end of the cylinder 31 is fixed to a rod 32 which is journall'ed adjacent its ends in the apertured ears 19. The hydraulic jack is of a conventional construction and includes a pump 33 and a valve 34 the housing of which forms a connection between the pump 33 and cylinder 3.1. The pump barrel and valve housing are suitably connected to one another and the valve housing is suitably connected to or formed integral with a portion of the cylinder 31. As best seen in Figure 3, the cylinder 31 has a base plate 35 by means of which it is mounted on the rod 32 and to which one end of the pump barrel 33 is preferably fixed. An car 36 extends outwardly from the plate 35 below the pump barrel 33. One. end of a link 37 is pivotally connected to the ear 36. A shaft 38 is journalled in the opposite end of the link 37 and has a link 39 fixed thereto and extending' upwardly therefrom. The upper end of the link 39 is pivotally connected at 40 to the forward end of a rod 41 forming a ptunp rod and Which extends slidably through the forward end of the barrel of the pump 33. A shaft extension 42 formed of end sections connected by a joint 43 has an inner end detachably keyed to the shaft 38. The opposite end of the shaft 42 extends outwardly beyond one of the frame side members 12 and has an actuating lever, 44. fixed thereto and extending upwardly therefrom outwardly of one. side of the convertible wheel chair and stretcher 10. The stem of the valve 34 has an extension 45 extending outwardly therefrom beyond the same side of the frame 11 and which terminates in a hand wheel Q1? knob 46.

The tubular frame members 12 terminate forwardly of and adjacent the sleeves 23 A rod 47 telescopically fits into each frame member 12 andv combines, therewith to form the telescopic frame sides, 48. Each of the rods 47 has longitudinally extending grooves 49 in the top and bottom; portions, thereof and the tubular members 12 are likewise. preferably provided in their top and bottom portions with longitudinally extending internally disposed grooves 50 which communicate with the grooves 49. Anti-friction rollers 51 are disposed in the communicating grooves 49 and 50, as best seen in Figure 9, to facilitate free sliding movement of the rods 47 in the tubular members, v 2. The grooves 49 and 50 preferably terminate short of the ends of the tubular members 12 and rods 47. A cap 52 is fixed to the forward end of each tubular member 12;. The rods 47 extend slidably through the caps 52, which caps function to prevent the ball bearings 5.1 from escaping from the tubes 12 A front axle 53. is secured by clamps 54. to the. forward. ends of the rods 4.7 and extends transversely of said rods. Large front supporting wheels are journalled on the ends of the axle 53 and are spaced; outwardly from the sides of t e hassi 1 A pair of levers 56 are fixed to the shaft 26 between the frame members 12 and one on either side of the lever 27, said levers 56 extending upwardly from the shaft 26 when the rods 47 are in retracted positions, as illustrated in Figure 1. A link 57 is pivotally connected at 58 at one end thereof to each of the levers 56 and the opposite ends of the links 57 are turnably mounted on the axle 53.

A pair of short posts 59 are mounted on and rise from each tubular frame member 12, one of said posts at each side of the chassis 11 being supported in and rising from the upstanding stem or socket of the coupling and the other post being mounted in and rising from the socket 24. Each pair of posts 59 supports a frame side, designated generally 60, having a bottom portion 61 to which a pair of T-couplings 62 are secured, having depending stems or sockets in which the upper ends of the posts 59 are secured. Each frame side includes an upwardly and forwardly inclined rear portion 63 which is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly projecting stop 64. Each frame side 60 likewise includes an upright front portion 65 and a top portion or arm rest 66 which extends between the upper ends of the rear frame portion 63 and front frame portion 65, said frame portions 61, 63, 65 and 66 preferably being formed integral. The bottom frame portion 61 and top frame portion 66 are braced adjacent their rear ends by an upright brace 67 which is secured at its ends in the stems of T-couplings 68 and 69 which are secured to the bottom frame portion 61 and top frame portion 66, respectively. The two side frames 60 are likewise connected and braced relatively to one another by cross braces 70 which zrse connected to the posts 67 and the bottom T-couplings The convertible wheel chair and stretcher 10 includes a back rest 71 composed of parallel side members 72 connected by a plurality of cross members or braces 73. The side members 72, near to but spaced from their lower ends, have sleeves 74 fixed thereto provided with rearwardly or downwardly projecting apertured ears 75 in which are journalled pins 76 which extend inwardly from the upper T-couplings 69 for pivotally mounting the back rest 71 between the side frames 60. The back rest 71, above the sleeve 74, has a rod 77 extending across the back thereof which is spaced rearwardly therefrom and has inwardly converging end portions 78 which are secured to the back rest sides 72, and said rod 77 is disposed to engage on the stops 64 when the back rest 71 is swung about the axis of its pivots 76 into a horizontal position to form a part of a stretcher, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The lower or inner ends of the sides 72 of the back rest 71 are pivotally connected at 7-9 to the sides 80 at the rear end of a seat 81-which is likewise preferably of openwork construction similar to the back rest 71. Each of the arm rest portions 66 has a sleeve 82 fixed to the forward part thereof and provided with a dependmg ear 83 forming a hanger to which the upper end of a lever 84 is pivotally connected at 85. The levers 84 are spaced outwardly from the frame sides 60, as illustrated in Figure 2, and are provided near to but spaced from their lower ends with forwardly projecting ears 86 through which a rod 87 extends. The rod 87, as seen in F1gure 2, extends through apertured forward end portrons 88 of the seat 81 and through apertured upper end portions 89 of two side members 90 of each of two leg rests 91 which are disposed in laterally spaced relationship to one another and which are thus swingably connected to the forward end of the seat 81 and to the levers 84. The leg rests 91 are provided with foot rests 92 at their lower ends which project outwardly therefrom. Each lever 84 extends substantially below its ear 86 and has an inwardly extending projection 93 at its lower end. The pro ections 93 engage under or behind the outer side members 90 of the two leg rests 91. A toothed latch bar 94 is pivotally connected at 95 to the outer side member 90 of each leg rest and extends rearwardly therefrom through a latch housing 96 fixed to the inner side of the adjacent lever 84 above and adjacent its lateral Pl'OjBCtlOl'l 93. Each housing 96 has a stationary detent 97 to selectively engage between teeth of the bar 94 when said bar is urged by a spring 98 toward the detent 97. Accordingly, the foot rests 91 may be indivldually swung upwardly about the rod 87 from poslttons substantially parallel to the levers 84. as illustrated 1n F1gure l, and will be held by the latch bars 94, functioning as braces, in various angularly adjusted page sitions relatively to one another and to the levers 84 when the device 10 is utilized as a wheel chair, as seen in Figure 1. However, ordinarily, the leg rests are supported by the projections-93 in positions substantially parallel to the axes of the levers 84.

A lever 99 is fixed to each end of the shaft 26 and extends upwardly therefrom. A link 100 is pivotally connected at its rear end at 101 to the upper, free end of each lever 99 and has a forward end pivotally connected at 102 to the lever 84, disposed at the same side of the wheel chair and stretcher, adjacent to and preferably slightly below the rod 87, as illustrated in Figure 1. The levers 99 and links 100 like the levers 84 are disposed outwardly of the sides of the wheel chair and stretcher 10.

The upper portions 66 of the frames have arm rests constituting elongated plates 103 supported thereon by sleeve members 104 which are secured to said plates 103 and around the frame portions 66. Likewise, the upper portion of the back rest 71 is provided with plates 105 which are attached to the side members 72 thereof by sleeves or sleeve segments 106, as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, and which normally project perpendicularly from the plane of the front side of the back rest 71 when the device is disposed to provide a wheel chair, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or which may be swung outwardly to positions substantially parallel to the back rest when the device is arranged to form a stretcher, as illustrated in Figure 3. The outer side members 90 of the leg rests 91 are likewise provided with elongated side plates 107 attached thereto by sleeve members 108. The plates or wings 107 project perpendicularly from the front of the leg rests 91 when the device is disposed to form a wheel chair, as illustrated in Figure 1, and are swung outwardly to form side extensions of the leg rests when the device is arranged to form a stretcher, in which positions the arm rests 103 and extensions 105 and 107 are disposed coplanar, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Assuming that the parts are disposed as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 to form a wheel chair, it will be readily apparent that the wheel chair can be utilized in a conventional manner and it will be understood that suitable cushions are provided on the seat 81, back rest 71 and leg rests 91. If it is desired to move a heavy patient from the wheel chair as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, onto a bed, the lever 44 is operated in a back and forth swinging motion for reciprocating the pump rod 41 with the valve 34 in one position so that the hydraulic fluid will be pumped by the pump 33 into the cylinder 31 for displacing the rod 29 outwardly of said cylinder or forwardly. The rod 29 will thus exert a thrust on the upper end of the lever 27 to swing said lever and the shaft 26 in a clockwise direction as seen in Figures 2 and 3 and so that the lever 27 will move from its position of Figure 2 forwardly to its position of Figure 3. This will cause the levers 99 to be swung in the same direction or forwardly from their positions of Figure 1 to their positions of Figure 3. This forward swinging movement of the levers 99 will exert a thrust against the levers 84 at the points 102 through the links 100 and cause the levers 84 to swing upwardly on their pivots 85 in a counterclockwise direction, from their positions of Figure l to their positions of Figure 3. This upward and forward swinging movement of the levers 84 will exert a forward and upward pull on the forward end of the seat 81 which is connected to said levers 84 by the rod 87 to likewise exert a forward pull on the lower end of the back rest 71 by its pivotal connection to the rear end of the seat 81 at 79. This will cause the back rest 71 to swing counterclockwise about its pivots 76 from its position of Figure l to its position of Figure 3, in which last mentioned position the rod 77 engages the stops 64 to support the outer or upper end of the back rest. Likewise, the leg rests 91 will be caused to swing upwardly with the levers 84 by engagement of the lever extensions 93 against the under or rear sides of said leg rests, so that the seat 81, back rest 71 and leg rests 91 will all be swung to horizontal coplanar positions as illustratedin Figure 3 and the levers 99 will assume straight line positions with the links 100 to form a brace for the levers 84.' The links 100 are provided with extension plates 100a which overlie the joints 101 of the links 100 and levers 99 to prevent said links and levers from swinging past a straight line position and to thus form substantially rigid braces for the levers 84, when said levers are swung upwardly to substantailly horizontal positions. It will be GbVlOUS that the rods 77 and stops 64 will prevent the outer end of the back rest 71 from swinging downwardly past a horizontal position andthe seat 81 will be prevented from swinging downwardly at its rear endand the back rest 71 will be similarly prevented from swinging downwardly at its inner or forward end since the rod 79 connecting the seat and back rests may only move downwardly when the rod 87 moves downwardly and rearwardly with the levers 84. When the seat, back rest and leg rests are in horizontal positions to form a stretcher, as illustrated in Figure 3, the side extensions 105 and 107 are swung outwardly to horizontal positions. The body supporting surface of the stretcher as provided by the seat, back rest and leg rests, is disposed at substantially the level of a hospital bed so that a patient may be readily moved from this stretcher surface onto a bed.

It will also be noted that swinging movement of the lever 27 from its position of Figure 1 to its position of Figure 3 will cause the levers 56 to likewise swing clockwise or forwardly in unison with the levers 99 from their positions of Figure 1 to their positions of Figure 3. The forward movement of the levers 56 will cause the links 57 connected thereto and to the front axle 53 to exert a forward thrust against said front axle so that the rods 47 will be extended forwardly out of the tubes 12 from their positions of Figure 1 to their positions of Figure 3, to thereby displace the front wheels 55 forwardly and away from the rear caster wheels 22 to thus lengthen the wheel base of the frame 11 to provide a stable support for the unit when disposed as a stretcher. The levers 56 and links 57 are disposed in substantially straight line positions when the frame is extended lengthwise, as illustrated in Figure 3 and said links and levers are prevented from swinging past a straight line position or back toward their positions of Figure l by the extended levers 99 and links 100 which are maintained in extended positions by the plates 100a. It will be understood that the valve 34 may be closed after the jack 30 has been extended by operation of the pump 33, as previously described, to afford an additional means for retaining the parts in their positions as previously described to form a stretcher as illustrated in Figure 3. Likewise it will be readily apparent that a patient may be readily moved from a bed onto the stretcher of Figure 3. Thereafter, the parts may be adjusted to form a wheel chair, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. This is accomplished by turning the knob 46 and stem 45 to open the valve 34 to allow the hydraulic fluid to escape therefrom back into the pump 33, all of which structure constituting a part of the jack 30 is of conventional design. The joints 101 may be manually broken by pressing upwardly and rearwardly thereon, so that the levers 99 and links 100 may be swung back toward their positions of Figure 1 by a downward swinging movement of the levers 84 in a clockwise direction about their pivots 85. This is accomplished by the weight of the patient on the stretcher and the movement of the parts is cushioned by the hydraulic fluid escaping past the open valve 34 back to the pump 33. As the levers 84 swing back toward their positions of Figure l, the forward end of the seat 81 will swing downwardly with said levers 84 and the rear end of the seat 81 will swing downwardly with the inner or forward end of the back rest 71 at the point 79 about the axis 76. Likewise, the leg rests 91 will swing downwardly with the levers 84. At the same time, a counterclockwise turning movement of the shaft 26 will cause the levers 56 to be swung clockwise and the links 57 to be drawn back to their positions of Figure l to thus displace the axle 53 rearwardly and to cause the rods 47 to telescope into the tubes 12 to thus shorten the wheel base of the frame 11. The lever 27 will likewise be swung with the shaft 26 back to its position of Figure 1, after which the knob 46 can be turned to close the valve 34. The apparatus 10 is then arranged for use as a wheel chair.

It will be readily apparent that any other suitable means may be substituted for the hydraulic jack 30 for turning the shaft 26 clockwise and counterclockwise to extend or retract the frame 11, respectively, and to move the other parts from their positions forming a wheel chair to their positions to form a stretcher or conversely.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without lit) "6 departing from the-spirit or scopeof the invention as hereinafter defined by thev appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. A convertible wheel chair and stretcher comprising a Wheeled chassis, side frame members secured to and rising from the sides of the chassis, a hanger lever pivotally connected to and depending from each side frame member adjacent its forward end, said hanger levers being disposed outwardly of the frame sides, a back rest pivotally mounted between the frame sides near to but spaced from an inner or lower end of the back rest, the back rest pivot being disposed adjacent the upper rear ends of the frame sides, a seat having a rear end pivotally connected to said inner or lower end of the back rest, means pivotally connecting the opposite, forward end of the seat to said hanger levers near to but spaced from the free ends of the hanger levers, leg rests having upper ends pivotally connected to said levers by said means, the free ends of said hanger levers having portions engaging under said leg rests and preventing downward swinging movement of the leg rests relatively to the hanger levers past positions disposed parallel to the hanger levers, an actuating shaft journalled in said chassis and transversely thereof, a pair of actuating levers fixed to and extending upwardly from said shaft, a link connecting the free end of each actuating lever to a hanger lever adjacent the free end of the hanger lever, means for turning said shaft in one direction for swinging the actuating levers toward the hanger levers to cause the hanger levers to be swung upwardly and forwardly for moving the back rest, seat and leg rests into substantially coplanar positions to form a stretcher, said chassis being formed of front and rear extensibly connected sections each provided with a pair of supporting wheels, an axle extending transversely of and secured to the front chassis section and having wheels journalled thereon forming the supporting wheels of said front chassis section, levers fixed to and extending upwardly from said shaft, and links connecting said axle to the upper ends of said last mentioned levers whereby said chassis is extended when said first mentioned actuating levers are swung to positions to swing the hanger levers upwardly to horizontal positions, for lengthening the wheel base of the apparatus when disposed to form a stretcher.

1 2. A convertible wheel chair and stretcher including a mobile frame having upstanding frame sides, a back rest pivotally mounted between said frame sides near to but spaced from an inner or lower end of the back rest, hanger levers pivotally connected to said frame sides and forwardly of the back rest pivot, a seat having a forward end disposed between and pivotally connected to said hanger levers beneath the pivots of the hanger levers, the rear end of said seat being pivotally connected to the inner end of said back rest, leg rests connected to said hanger levers at said seat pivot and supported by portions of said hanger levers disposed below the seat pivot, a shaft journalled in and disposed transversely of the frame, link and lever means connecting said shaft and hanger levers, means for turning said shaft in one direction for moving the link and lever means to extended positions for swinging the hanger levers upwardly and forwardly for swinging the back rest, seat and leg rests to substantially horizontal coplanar positions to form a stretcher, said frame including an extensible front section, said shaft being journalled in a rear section of the frame, and link and lever means connecting said shaft and said extensible front frame section, both of said link and lever means being moved to extended positions simultaneously whereby the frame is extended longitudinally when the parts are adjusted to form a stretcher, and said frame having a pair of front wheels supporting said extensible front frame section.

3. A convertible wheel chair and stretcher as in claim 2, said frame including tubes forming a part of the rear frame section and rods forming a part of the front frame section, said rods fitting telescopically into said tubes, said rods and tubes having longitudinally extending grooves, and rollers engaging said grooves and disposed within said tubes to afford free sliding movement of the rods relatively to the tubes toward extended and retracted positions.

(References on following page) 7 References Citedin the filq of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS I Name Date Dodd July 11, 1916 5 Cornell et a1. Sept. 20, 1938 Sanders Feb. '26, 1952 Coleman Jan. 20, 1953 

